Method of treating textile material with liquid



1962 J. COCKER m 3,067,061

METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MATERIAL WITH LIQUID Filed May 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1 63 112 38 3 as ,9? f 3676 7F@"ii8 a z- F] M 36 25 56 e 33 M a? i CF. I

INVENTOR. J0/117 004/727, l1,

ATTORNEYS.

Dec- 4, 2 J. cocKER m 3,067,0611

METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MATERIAL WITH LIQUID Filed May 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

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3,067,061 METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MATERIAL WITH LIQUID John Cooker III, Gastonia, N.C., assignor to Cooker Machine and Foundry Company, Gastonia, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Fiied May 16, 1960, Ser. No. 29,380 Claims. (Cl. 117-115) This invention relates to process for treating continuous running sheet or strand materials such as paper, textile fabrics, yarns, and the like, with liquids such as sizing. dyes, resins, rinses, fixers, etc.

In the treatment of textiles and the like with liquids such as in sizing, dyeing, or similar operations, the particular kind of treatment which it may be desirable to apply depends upon the type of material being treated, its weight, and subsequent treatments to which it will be subected, as well as the physical characteristics of the material itself.

As an illustrative example, in the slasher art, it is conventional to provide a size box containing heated liquid starch or the like, through which a sheet of yarns is passed,

' and further including one or more sets of squeeze rolls or quetsch rolls, which are arranged in a manner to squeeze the excess liquid from the yarns. Conventionally, the squeeze rolls are mounted upon fixed shafts and are provided with pressure means, some such means being adjustable in order to provide varying degrees of pressure in the course of the squeezing operation. In conventional slashers, the squeeze rolls are arranged one above the other, their shafts being in vertical alignment. When the squeeze rolls are applied to the yarn, the excess liquid runs down the cylindrical surface of the lower squeeze roll and is thus drained from the yarn.

It has been discovered that in the case of some textiles, for example, it is highly desirable to subject them to squeezing or other operations which vary from the normal vertical arrangement discussed above. It has further been discovered that significant advantages are obtained by subjecting yarns or other textiles to multiple squeezing operations arranged in a variety of ways. It has been discovered that highly desirable results are obtained, for example, by subjecting yarns singly to a drain size," wherein the squeeze rolls are so arranged that the excess liquid is permitted to drain off, and then to a dress size, wherein the yarn which is virtually free of liquid is again squeezed in a manner such that the excess liquid may drain oti. On the other hand, it has been discovered to be exceedingly desirable in many cases to provide a slop size, wherein the yarns are squeezed while maintained under a layer of the liquid which has been removed in the course of the squeezing operation, followed by a dress size," while continuing the run of the same material through the apparatus.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a method for treating continuous running materials such as textile yarns, fabrics, sheets of paper and the like, with liquids in such a manner that the running materials may be subjected to liquid treating operations of various kinds.

Another more specific object of this invention is to provide a method for treating textiles by immersing them in liquids, wherein the liquids may be removed by subjecting the textile to drain sizing, dress sizing or slop sizing States Patent 0 3,067,061 Patented Dec.'4, 1962 in avariety of combinations and sequences, all without effecting a major change in the construction or operation of the apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for carrying out the advantageous sizing operations just described, with efliciency and economy and without re quiring any appreciable shut down time for converting from one combination or sequence of operations to another combination or sequence.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a method of treating textile materials with liquid wherein a plurality of squeeze rolls maybe used .in alternative arrangements to afford different kinds of treatment for textile yarns and fabrics.

Still another object of, this invention is to provide a method of treating textile materials with liquid wherein a continuous run of textile material may be subjected to various kinds of sizing or padding operations with a minimum of interruption of the treating process.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of one specific arrangement of an apparatus for continuously treating running yarns or fabric with a liquid treating medium in accordance with the improved method of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the treating apparatus showing an alternative arrangement for dilferent treatment of textile yarns or fabrics.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IIIIII which appear in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IV-IV which appear in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the quetsch roll arrangement of FIG. 1, showing a locking means for locking the rolls in position.

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 6, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VII-VII which appear in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VIII-VIII which appear in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus appearing in FIGS. 6-8.

FIG. 10 is a partial, diagrammatic view, in side elevation, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, the parts being shown in a displaced position.

The following description is directed to the specific form of the apparatus andmethod as shown in the drawings and is not intended to be addressed to the scope of the invention itself, which is capable of being practiced in a wide variety of forms and arrangements.

Adverting herewith to the specific form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there is normally maintained in the container 20 at the level L, see FIG. 1, a quantity of treating liquid such as a hot starch solution, for example; running partly submergedin the liquid is a hollow feed roll 21 preferably of stainless steel or other metal immune against corrosion, and cooperative with the said feel roll 21 within the container 20 is a smaller rubber- 3 sheathed squeeze roll 22 which is normally only partly submerged in the liquid.

Wholly submerged in the treating liquid are a pair of smaller cooperative squeeze rolls 23 and 24 and positioned above the surface of the treating liquid are two rubber-sheathed quetsch rolls 25 and 26. Cooperative with quetsch roll 25 is a smaller rubber-sheathed dress roll 27.

The material M being treated is drawn from a supply beam (not illustrated), and directed as shown in FIG. 1 down into the container 20 over feed roll 21 and downwardly between roll 21 and roll 22 at which time the material M enters the treating medium. The material M passes thence beneath the immersion roll 23 and then upwardly between roll 23 and roll 24, after which it emerges from the treating medium to pass upwardly be tween roll 25 and 26, over roll 25 thence between rolls 25 and 27. Finally the material passes around dress roll 27 and over a lead-out roll 28 enroute to a dryer (not illustrated). Alternatively, see FIG. 2, the material M upon emerging from the treating liquid may pass over roll 26, then downwardly between cooperative quetsch rolls 25 and 26, beneath roll 25, and upwardly between quetsch roll 25 and its cooperative dress roll 27, from which point the material passes over lead-out roll 28 and thence to a dryer (not illustrated).

The axes of roll 21 and its cooperative roll 22 ar supported for free rotation in suitably packed hearings in the side walls of the container 20. The journal bearing of roll 22 in the side wall of container 20 is elongated to permit the longitudinal movement of roll 22, the position of which may be adjusted to permit a greater or lesser pressure between contiguous rolls 21 and 22 by means of an adjusting knob 29 which is threaded to an adjusting screw 32 set in a supporting frame 33 above roll 21, said frame being formed of an extension of the side walls of container 20. Screw 32 extends into a supporting frame 34 fixed to the shaft of roll 22 and a tightening of screw 32 overcomes the compression force of a spring 35 which normally urges supporting frame 34 away from supporting frame 33. The cooperative immersion rolls 23 and 24 are journaled for free rotation in suitable bearings in racks 36 and 37 which are positioned on opposite sides of container 20. Racks 36 and 37, respectively, are arranged for vertical movement between a guide roller 38, a spur pinion 39 attached to one side wall of container 20, and guide rollers 40 and 4-1 to the opposite wall of container 20. Pinion 39 is arranged to engage the teeth of rack 36 and is fixed to a shaft 44 extending through the side wall of container 20. Aitixed to the end of shaft 44, exterior to the container 20, is a manual wheel 45 which may be rotated in either direction to raise or lower the immersion rolls 23 and 24 within the container 20.

Shaft 46 of quetsch roll 26 is journaled in bearings located in brackets 47 and 48 located on the opposite side walls of container 20. Quetsch roll 26 is rotated by suitable drive means such as a conventional electric motor drive sprocket and chain (not illustrated), connected to sprocket wheel 51 attached to the end of shaft 46. Shaft 46 also passes through holes 52 and 53 provided for that purpose in link arms 54 and 55 which are located at opposite ends of roll 26, adjacent to bearing brackets 47 and 48.

Link arms 54 and 55 are both linked at their other ends (through holes provided for that purpose) to shaft 56 of swingable quetsch roll 25. Similarly, shaft 56 of swingable quetsch roll 25 and shaft 57 of dress roll 27 are linked through holes provided for that purpose at the opposite ends of link arm 62 and another link arm 63 on the opposite side of cooperative rolls 25 and 27.

As best seen in FIG. 5, swingable quetsch roll 25 is normally locked into a horizontal position above the roll 23 by means of a locking screw 70 inserted into threaded hole 65 in bracket 48 and through threaded hole 67 in link arm 55 which links the shafts of quetsch rolls 25 and 26. Similarly, another locking screw 72 extends through a threaded hole in opposing bracket 47 and link arm 54 connecting shafts 56 and 46 of swingable quetsch rolls 25 and 26, respectively. Dress roll 27 is normally maintained at an angle of approximately 45 to the horizontal by means of a locking screw 71 (FIG. 5) inserted into threaded hole 66 in bracket 48 and extended into threaded hole 68 in the link arm 62. A second locking screw 73 is inserted into threaded holes in bracket 47 and in the corresponding link arm 63 on the opposite side of swingable quetsch roll 25 and swingable dress roll 27 adjacent to bracket 47.

It will be apparent that quetsch roll 25 may be swung through an arc of 180 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. To lock swingable quetsch roll 25 and swingable dress roll 27 in the position shown in FIG. 2, locking screws 70 and 71 are inserted into the threaded holes 74 and 75 in bracket 48 and into the corresponding threaded holes 67 and 68 in link arms 55 and 62, respectively. Likewise, locking screws 72 and 73 are threaded into corresponding holes 76 and 77 in the opposing bracket 47 and corresponding link arms 54 and 63 connecting shaft 46 of quetsch roll 26 with shaft 56 of quetsch roll 25, and the latter shaft with shaft 57 of dress roll 27.

In operation, the material M passes downwardly between the feed roll 21 and its cooperative squeeze roll 22. Preferably the nip between the rolls 21, 22 is located at the level of the liquid treating medium, with the result that the air is forced out of the material and the said material is thereby preconditioned to absorb the treating liquid without again taking up air. In upwardly rounding the padder roll 23 and passing between it and the roll 24, the absorbed liquid in the material is caused further to penetrate said material as a result of the pressure exerted between the padder rolls by reason of the appropriate adjustment of the adjusting screws positioned in rack 36 and 37 for that purpose.

When the apparatus is arranged as shown in FIG. 1, the material M emerges from the bath and passes between swingable quetsch roll 25 and its cooperative fixed quetsch roll 26 which, because of the pressure exerted at the point of peripheral contact of the two rolls, causes the excess treating liquid to be displaced from the material with the result that it drains back into the container 20. Finally, as the material passes between swingable quetsch roll 25 and its associated dress roll 27 any liquid which may have been trapped in the material in rounding the roll 25 is removed. This final squeeze functions as a dressing action smoothing out the surface fibers of the textile and making more uniform the impregnation of the material with the treating liquid. From this point the treated material passes from the apparatus over the leadoff roll 28 to a dryer (not shown).

When it is desired to subject the material to a different kind of treatment, such as slop" sizing, the apparatus is arranged as shown in FIG. 2. The material M now emerges from the treating medium to pass upwardly around and over the fixed quetsch roll 26 and then downwardly between quetsch rolls 25 and 26. It is then subjected to a pressure nip at the point of peripheral contact of fixed quetsch roll 26 and swingable quetsch roll 25, now positioned on the right side of quetsch roll 26 as viewed in FIG. 2. The excess liquid carried along by the material now collects in the space above the point of peripheral contact between the two quetsch rolls 25, 26, rather than draining off as in the arrangement shown in FIG. 1. This arrangement provides a slop sizing treatment of the material M, which is desirable in many cases. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, material M passes around the swingable quetsch roll 25 to pass up wardly between swingable quetsch roll 25 and swingable dress roll 27. Here the dressing action is combined with an additional squeeze to remove any further excess liquid which may have remained in the material; said liquid drains back into the container'20. Finally the treated material advances over the lead-off roll 28 for further processing.

It will be apparent that an important advantage of the invention is the versatility which results from the ready adjustability and rearrangement of the rolls 25, 26. Certain of the rolls may be swung around each other to effect different kinds of treating operations quickly and economically, even when the slasher is not shut down.

It will further be apparent that the several sets of textile squeezing rollers which appear in FIGS. 1 and 2, operate in conjunction and in cooperation with one another. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be observed that the quetsch rolls 25, 26 are arranged in a manner to provide a drain sizing and dressing operation, while the rolls 23, 24 are immersed at a relatively shallow level relative to the level of the liquid in the container 20. Also, in this form of operation, the knob 29 may be so adjusted that the pressure between the rolls 21, 22 is adjusted in a manner to correspond to the degree of immersion and the degree of squeezing that is obtained by the settings of the other sets of rolls. Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, it will be appreciated that, in conjunction with the alternate setting of the quetsch rolls 25, 26, which provide a slop sizing operation followed by dressing, that the rolls 23, 24 are relatively deeply immersed. Further, in FIG. 2, the knob 29 may be so adjusted as to vary the tension between the rolls 21, 22, to provide a tension which operates at an optimum pressure in con junction with the immersion and squeezing operations obtained by the adjustment of the other sets of rolls. The selection of a drain sizing, slop sizing or dressing operation at the quetsch rolls 25, 26 cooperates with the adjustments of the other rolls 21, 22 and 23, 24, providing optimum size box operation on a wide variety of different textile materials.

FIGS. 6-10 disclose a modified form of the invention, wherein the rolls can be adjusted substantially universally in a wide variety of relative positions. Referring particularly to FIGS. 6, 9 and 10, it will be observed that a side plate 100 is provided, having an arcuate slot 101 which has the form of an arc of a circle, the center of which coincides with the shaft 46. Mounted on the link arm 55 is a threaded rod 102 (see particularly FIG. 9), having a washer 103 and a knurled thumb nut 104. Washer 103 has a pin 105 which is arranged to enter into any one of a plurality of holes 106 formed in the side plate 100. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the link arm 55 may be swung through an arc of substantial spread, that the arm may be adjusted in any position by simply pulling up tightly on the thumb nut 104. For even securer fastening of the link arm 55, the washer 103 may be provided, and the pin 105 may be inserted into any selected hole 106, after which the thumb nut 104 is tightened. When applied in this manner, the washer 103 provides a particularly secure, locking engagement.

Means are also provided for securing the dress roll 27 in a wide variety of adjusted positions. It will be appreciated that while the roll 26 is mechanically driven, the roll 25 is free on its shaft and that the shaft is stationary and is fixed to the link 55. The dress roll 27 is supported by the link arm 62 the shoulder of which is provided with a small housing 107 (see particularly FIG. 8) in which is carried a reciprocable pin 108. The pin 108 may be actuated by a knurled hand grip 110 and is spring urged toward the center of the shaft 56 of dress roll 27. The pin 108 is provided with a stop 111. As will be seen in FIG. 8, the shaft 56 is provided with a plurality of radially extending bores 112 having a size corresponding to the outer diameter of the pin 108. Accordingly, the pin 108 may be positioned in any selected one of the bores 112, thereby adjusting the dress roll 27 in a desired position.

Although this invention has been disclosed with reference to specific forms and embodiments thereof, it will be evident that a great number of variations may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. For example, parts may be reversed, equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically disclosed, and certain featuresof the invention may be used independently of other features, all without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a method of processing a material with liquid, the steps which comprise squeezing said material at the sur face of the liquid to force air therefrom while continuously passing said material beneath the surface of said liquid and allowing said material to absorb liquid, passing said material between opposed squeeze rolls beneath the surface of said liquid, continuously moving said material directly upward substantially perpendicularly to the surface of said liquid, immediately thereafter squeezing said material above said surface between a pair of squeeze rolls while said material is maintained substantially perpendicular to the surface of said liquid and while said material is passing upwardly between said rolls, thereby draining excess liquid downwardly while said material is being squeezed, and then passing said material between one of said squeeze rolls and a dressing roll arranged in such a position that the liquid squeezed out of said material forms a liquid body through which said material passes prior to the time that it is squeezed.

2. In a method of treating a material with liquid the steps which comprise squeezing said material at the surface of said liquid thereby forcing air therefrom while passing said material beneath said surface and allowing said material to absorb liquid and thereby expand, squeezing said material under said liquid, passing said material directly upward substantially perpendicularly to the surface of said liquid and then immediately thereafter squeezing said material above said liquid between a pair of cooperative squeeze rolls while maintaining said material substantially perpendicular to the surface of said liquid and allowing excess treating liquid to drain downwardly, and then passing said material between one of said squeeze rolls and a dressing roll arranged in such a position that the liquid squeezed out of said material forms a liquid body through which said material passes prior to the time that it is squeezed.

3. In a method of continuously processing a material with liquid, the steps which comprise continuously passing said material through the nip of a pair of cooperative squeeze rolls positioned at the surface of said liquid thereby forcing air from said material while passing said material beneath the surface of said liquid and allowing said material to absorb liquid and thereby expand, passing said material between opposed squeeze rolls beneath said surface, continuously moving said material upwardly above the surface of said liquid, and then immediately thereafter moving said material downwardly between a pair of squeeze rolls positioned above the surface of said liquid, said squeeze rolls being so arranged as to provide a body of liquid above the nip between said squeeze rolls, passing said material downwardly beyond said rolls and then upwardly into a nip whereby said material is subjected to a further squeezing action while it is passing upwardly, and permitting the liquid removed in such squeezing operation to drain downwardly.

4. In a method of treating a material with liquid the steps which comprise squeezing said material at the surface of said liquid thereby forcing the air therefrom while passing said material beneath said surface and allowing said material to absorb liquid, squeezing said material beneath the surface of said liquid, passing said material directly upwardly above the surface of said liquid and substantially perpendicularly thereto, then turning said material to pass downwardly substantially perpendicularly to the surface of said liquid and squeezing said material between cooperating squeeze rolls while said material is passing downwardly between said rolls, whereby said rolls form a liquid body located above the nip between said rolls through which said material passe-s prior to the time that it is squeezed.

5. In a method of treating a material with liquid the steps which comprise squeezing said material at the surface of' said liquid to force air therefrom while passing said material beneath said surface and allowing said material to absorb liquid, squeezing said material under the surface of said liquid, passing said material directly upwardly above the surface of said liquid and then downwardly between a pair of cooperating squeeze rolls while 8 allowing the excess liquid squeezed from said material to collect above the nip of said squeeze rolls, then passing said material upwardly between a squeeze roll and a dressing roll while allowing the excess liquid squeezed from said material to drain downwardly from the nip between said rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany May 9, 1956 

1. IN A METHOD OF PROCESSING A MATERIAL WITH LIQUID, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISES SQUEEZING SAID MATERIAL AT THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID TO FORCE AIR THEREFROM WHILE CONTINUOUSLY PASSING SAID MATERIAL BENEATH THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID AND ALLOWING SAID MATERIAL TO ABSORB LIQUID, PASSING SAID MATERIAL BETWEEN OPPOSED SQUEEZE ROLLS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID, CONTINOUSLY MOVING SAID MATERIAL DIRECTLY UPWARD SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY TO THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID, IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER SQUEEZING SAID MATERIAL ABOVE SAID SURFACE BETWEEN A PAIR OF SUQEEZE ROLLS WHILE SAID MATERIAL IS MAINTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARY TO THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID AND WHILE SAID MATERIAL IS PASSING UPWARDLY BETWEEN SAID ROLLS, THEREBY DRAINING EXCESS LIQUID DOWNWARDLY WHILE SAID MATERIAL IS BEING SQUEEZED, AND THEN PASSING SAID MATERIAL BETWEEN ONE OF SAID SQUEEZE ROLLS AND A DRESSING ROLL ARRANGED IN SUCH A POSITION THAT THE LIQUID SQUEEZED OUT OF SAID MATERIAL FORMS A LIQUID BODY THROUGH WHICH SAID MATERIAL PASSES PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT IT IS SQUEEZED. 